Research

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Student Consumption and Debt in Victorian Oxford

By Professor Yuka Fujimoto
In 1877, then student at Magdalen College, Oscar Wilde was twice summoned by the University of Oxford proctors to appear before the University Court concerning a 拢30 debt involving fashionable goods. Wilde had ordered a felt hat, a superior suit and silk scarves from Joseph Muir, tailor and鈥

Does Corporate Internationalisation Improve Firm Performance?

By Professor Chaiporn Vithessonthi
Many managers understand the importance of international strategy, which refers to a firm鈥檚 international diversification. In my recent study, I found that for publicly listed firms in the United Kingdom, the proportion of firms with foreign assets grew from 4% in 1990 to 36% in 2016. Likewise, the鈥

Islamic Finance: The Way Forward

Islamic finance, in its simplest terms, can be defined as finance with ethical considerations in the way financial transactions are conducted.

Could Low-Dose Radiation Be Beneficial for Us?

Nuclear power plants and incidences like Chernobyl and Fukushima have resulted in radiation phobia (radiophobia) 鈥 the fear that even the smallest dose of radiation is harmful. Ironically, radiation is everywhere. We are surrounded by naturally-occurring background radiation caused by cosmic鈥

Detecting HFMD: A Virologist鈥檚 Race Against Time

By Professor Poh Chit Laa
The year was 2000 when an unprecedented outbreak of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) in Singapore claimed the lives of five children. Professor Poh Chit Laa, then a researcher at National University of Singapore, felt herself grieving with a mother who lost two children to the disease. She鈥

The Power of Music

By Professor Don Bowyer
In 1994, I was playing the trombone on the main stage in a cruise ship somewhere on the Caribbean Sea. I was playing with the 5th Dimension, a pop/soul/R&B band that had its biggest hits almost 30 years earlier. While performing, I was flooded with emotion from a long-lost memory. Most people鈥

Nanotechnology in Harnessing Solar Energy

By Professor Saidur Rahman
We use solar energy to power our heaters, electronic devices and even vehicles. The idea of using solar energy is hardly new as attempts at developing solar technologies began as early as the late 19th century. The solar energy industry however is beset with issues concerning its efficiency as a鈥

The Economic Voting Puzzle of Malaysia

By Professor Yeah Kim Leng
Economic voting behaviour, whereby voters reward the incumbent ruling party for delivering economic prosperity, is pervasive across countries. The influence of economic factors on voter behaviour has been extensively studied since the rational choice theory was applied in the 1950s to understand鈥

Getting the Bear Facts

By Associate Professor Dr Shyamala Ratnayeke
Few species evoke as much fascination, amusement and attraction as do bears. Through much of our history, bears have held a special significance鈥攆rom the comforting presence of a child鈥檚 teddy bear to symbols of power, protection and untamed nature in modern societies and countless indigenous鈥

Demystifying Islamic Hospitality

By Professor Marcus Stephenson
The global Muslim population totalled 1.6 billion in 2010 and is forecasted to increase dramatically to 2.8 billion in 2050 according to Pew Research Center. In the latter part of this century, Islam is expected to exceed Christianity as the largest religion in the world.

An Ongoing Battle with Dengue

By Professor Poh Chit Laa
Dengue is a viral disease many of us, particularly in Asia, are familiar with. After all, more than 40% of the world鈥檚 population live in endemic areas. Statistics show that dengue cases have multiplied eight folds within the past 20 years, causing up to 390 million infections per year globally.鈥

Building Our Bridge in Diversity

By Professor Yuka Fujimoto
Professor Yuka Fujimoto lived in Japan until she was 12, and then continued her schooling in Malaysia. By age 16, she moved to Australia and found herself as one of the few Asian students in her grade at a high school in the countryside of Toowoomba. 鈥淧eople didn鈥檛 understand why I ate rice,鈥 she鈥